The following article was written by Aser Hailu. Aser recently attended the African Business Conference at Harvard Business School through the Commerce Students’ Association’s Conference and Competitions program.
I had the honor to be at the Harvard Business School and attend the 2019 African Business Conference. The African Business Conference is an Annual event in its 21st year which showcases business opportunities on the continent with the mission to connect the African Diaspora. I had the pleasure of attending many panels and workshops surrounding this year’s theme of “Africa Forward: Forging New Alliances For The Future”. I learned about the future of Fintech from new players like Flutterwave and about unleashing the potential of SMEs through financing solutions in order to propel Africa’s growth. Furthermore, I got to hear from keynote speakers from a variety of backgrounds about what it takes to succeed and important lessons they have discovered during their respective journeys. I also had intriguing conversations with some of the young professionals making waves in Africa.
The first day of the conference revolved around Harvard Business School and attended a panel with the authors of the paradox of prosperity. They discussed key themes from their upcoming book and highlighted the power of market-creating innovation, a critical driver in creating and sustaining economic prosperity. They explained the central role of the entrepreneur in fostering sustainable development.
The Panel was followed by a new venture completion. As part of the 21st Africa Business Conference, the Africa Business Club hosted the New Venture Competition on February 15th, 2019. The New Venture Competition aims to showcase the diversity of entrepreneurs making a difference on the continent today. 10 finalists pitched their business in front of approximately 700 attendees and received feedback from a panel of experienced judges. The competition winner and runner-up were awarded cash prizes of $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.
The second day had three keynote speakers and three panel sessions. The morning keynote was on the theme of “Fueling and Funding the Future”. MR. Vincent Le Guennou Managing Director, Founding Partner and Co-CEO of Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) and MR. Momar Nguer President of Marketing & Services, Total S.A., and Member of the Total Executive Committee spoke to the audience. The afternoon session was on the topic of “Fixing the Foundations” Dr. Agnes Binagwaho Vice Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity and former Minister of Health of the Republic of Rwanda presented.
Attendees had a choice of panel sessions to attend I chose “The Future of Fintech in Africa: Beyond Payments and Money” for my first panel. “SMEs as an Engine of Growth for the African Continent” for the second panel. Lastly I attended the “Building Quality Companies that Cross African borders ” for the third panel.
I want to thank the Harvard Business School for the wonderful events and giving me the opportunity to meet some of the most energetic, educated and inspiring young people in and out of the continent. I hope to learn from one another’s experiences and continue to make an impact.